2017 Fitness Trends You Need To Try

January 15, 2017

When it comes to the new year, a lot of the time we can get caught up in what we want to change for ourselves, or what expectations we have when it comes to our lives and this ‘new start’. But what about the world? What new things can we expect to see in 2017? This is something I like to think about for a bit. How far will technology advance us this year? Do you need to prepare for conflict in the world and where specifically? What is going to be the latest, must-have gadget? What is going to be this year’s hottest fitness trend?

The Core did a little research for us and here are their predictions –

The Warmup: 2017 Fitness Trends You Need To Try

Fabletics

Ah, 2017. It’s going to be a great year. I know because, according to my research, it will involve a lot of surfing, sleeping and baby goats. (No, that’s not a typo… you’ll understand later)!

Like many of us who are new to the millennium’s seventeenth solar orbit, I too have fanatic-level goals of working on my fitness. It’s a clichéd resolution, I know: new year, new bod, new me. But with these seven fitness trends on the horizon—from the practical to the bizarre—our year ahead will be, at the very least, something to write home about:

TREND #1: THE YEAR OF THE DOWNWARD GOAT

Yoga in 2017 will not be your everyday namaste. The new calendar year calls for Face Yoga, Laughing Yoga and, yes, even Goat Yoga!

The first, Face Yoga, is essentially a non-invasive (and free) face lift that you can self-sculpt by simply holding a few facial stretches and postures. Rankana Khan, a 57-year old former model, swears by it—repeating this 2-5 minute routine daily (if possible) to defy the gravitational forces that weigh our faces down and age us.

Another yoga practice catching on in the New Year is Laughing Yoga. Ever had a deep belly laugh that made your abdominal muscles ache with soreness the next day? This does that for you, too! In Laughing Yoga, your instructor will teach you the fine art of laughing on command—like an actor—while walking you through a few giggle-inducing sequences and scenarios. You might, at first, feel (and look) awkward, but laughter is the best medicine and feeling/looking silly is a small price to pay for it.

And the moment you’ve all been waiting for… Goat Yoga. I’m still not clear on the physical benefits of this one, but apparently goats can have a mentally soothing and calming effect, similar to a therapy dog. Combine that with your yoga practice and you’ve got some serious petting zoo zen. I really hope this “trend” catches on!

TREND #2: LET’S GET (MENTALLY) PHYSICAL

The New Year isn’t only geared toward transforming the body, but also the mind. Somadome—a meditation pod system—is already setting the standard for this realm of mental-emotional improvement. Its dome-shaped units are built to simulate infinite space while its colors correlate with your meditation goals, Biosyntonie® ceramic tiles disrupt unnatural waveforms and its rhythmic beats send you on a harmonic journey through unguided and guided tracks. I feel relaxed already.

TREND #3: CALLING ALL SURFER ‘BUMS’

Want a surfer booty without, you know, having to worry about surfing? City Surf, and others like it, have harnessed the technology needed to simulate a hang-ten-worthy experience from the comfort of land. In 2017, I expect people to forgo the traditional gym experience and turn to fun alternatives like this one.

TREND #4: THERE’S AN APP FOR THAT

Workout apps are also on the rise and will continue to become widely adopted throughout 2017. Apps like Sweat with Kayla, which provide customized workouts and meal plans, will help you stay on track at all times. It’s like having a personal trainer, but in your pocket! And if you miss a workout, there’s no judgment from a real human. Just saying!

TREND #5: VIRTUAL REALITY

We knew it would happen eventually. Now, it’s here. Virtual reality cardio experiences like widerun (the first bike to connect to VR headsets) are really just scratching the surface of what will be a completely reimagined way to workout. Imagine pedaling on a mountain bike along the Norwegian fjords… only you’re in New Jersey. Or hiking to the top of a cliff in Southeast Asia… only you’re in East Texas. There’s so much innovation and possibility in this arena, it will be fascinating to see how VR plays out in the future. And 2017 could very well be its momentous year.

TREND #6: FUSION FITNESS

Us 21st-century-folk love our fusion. We see it in restaurants, fashion, music and now fitness. One workout genre that’s truly mixing it up, and will continue to gain traction in the New Year, is Barre-fusion workouts. Whether it’s Tread Barre which mixes treadmill sprints and traditional barre exercises or Cardio Barre which integrates light weights and high energy motions, my gut tells me fusion-style classes are going to pop up left and right.

TREND #7: WEARABLE TECH

We all know this one. But the wearable tech industry is about to go beyond the FitBit watch or Polar band. According to my sources, smart clothing is about to really make an impact. Whether it’s a bra that monitors your heart rate or a shirt that tracks your sleep cycle, the lines between tech and fashion are blurring. And something tells me this won’t ever go out of style.